HELP! We've been down all week....

[Bigdawg]

First of all please... no comments like buy a real cutter - I am teed off enough already and that is the plan but it won't happen tonight.
We have a masters 300 cutter that we've had virtually no problem with. The computer driving it had a hard drive failure over the weekend. I have hooked the cutter up to another computer but the bridge software I was using will not load (easysign). I downloaded signgo to try it but I cannot get the computer to recognize the cutter. I have access for tonight only to a box with Flexi 7.5 on it but flexi won't recognize the cutter either.
Anyone out there have any idea what to do to get any of the programs to recognize the printer? We are hooked up with a parallel cable - which is how we were running it before. I am desperate to get this one stupid job out by 8:00 in the morning.
Help... anybody...

 

[ssanchez]

maybe it will help

I had the same problem with flxi sign 7 pro with my windows xp. If you use say windows 2000 it should work and recognize it. Do you have the key for the program?

 

[Sign-Man Signs]

First, go to control panel and install your cutter as a printer. Use your install disc for your driver info. In Flexi, go to production manager and add a new set up. It will ask you for the model of your cutter. Should be all you need to do.

 

[ssanchez]

First, go to control panel and install your cutter as a printer. Use your install disc for your driver info. In Flexi, go to production manager and add a new set up. It will ask you for the model of your cutter. Should be all you need to do.

He is right, I assumed you had already done that.

 

[2NinerNiner2]

Also, with the driver installed as per Sign-Man, you should be able to cut directly from AI; I could with my Roland PNC-1000 using only the Roland-supplied Windows drivers; crude, but effective But I could never successfully get the cutter to work with the parallel interface though; always went serial with a null modem cable.

BTW, love your signature ...

"Do this - don't do that - can't you read the sign?" The Five Man Electrical Band ...good ol' Ottawa, Ontario, Canada lads!

 

[Techman]

check your parallel port to see if its the enhanced (two way ) ports or the standard.. switch them around and see if it makes a difference. Since I quit workin on machine hardware I simply fergot the terms but i believe this is your problem..

A newer type of parallel ports, which supports the same connectors as the Centronics interface, is the EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) or ECP (Extended Capabilities Port). Both of these parallel ports support bi-directional communication and transfer rates ten times as fast as the Centronics port.

 

[Bigdawg]

Thanks - we are going to try a new cable today. One of my friends called at 10:30 last night and told me to come over to his shop and cut what I needed last night. Today's agenda is to get this darn thing running again!!!

Thanks 2Niner - one of my favorite songs!

 

[Bigdawg]

Just to update this.... first problem with easy sign not reinstalling - had to have desay send a new file that wrote to the registry allowing the new computer to recognize the dongle. Must be a problem they were familiar with cuz he knew exactly what to do.

Second issue of the computer not recognizing the plotter is because I am an idiot.... was using the parallel cable and configured for a com port instead of the lpt port. My dad (in Mich) had to point that one out to me when I called whining that my plotter still wouldn't work.

Thanks all for your help!

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

configured for a com port instead of the lpt port

Welcome to the club! Been there.........:Big Laugh

The simple things we take for granted are the ones that cost us the most!

Just curious. You stated the the other machine lost a drive. Did you replace the complete machine? Having been there with that too (thanks to Western Digital and their IDE drives), we now keep a cloned drive - just in case, along with two additional drives just for critical data.

Our setup is overkill, to say the least, but it is the only way I do things after my previous experiences.

Glad to hear you are running

 

[player]

Master plotters really suck...I hate them.

P

 

[Techman]

Master plotters really suck...I hate them.

Ya, I have no idea how to work on one,, don't wanna know and do not inted to ever know.. Same goes for birds and cats too..

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

Maybe but, this was not a problem with DeSay. This one seems to have been treating Stacy good. The computer crapped out, and sometimes any plotter can be a PITA.

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

I hear ya Tech...I hear Ya...